Talib Kweli Remembers Meeting A Young Kanye West For The First Time

“He played me four beats that night—all them beats made it to my album.”

Talib Kweli was a guest on N.O.R.E. and DJ EFN's Drink Champs podcast this week, and he had some interesting insights on Kanye West. who scored some of his first production placements on Kweli's Quality album.

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“Kanye comes through the door. I’ve never seen this nigga, I’ve never heard this nigga," Kweli remembers. "He said, ‘I’m here to meet Mos Def.’ I said, ‘well, guess what? He might not show up.” Kanye ended up playing Kweli early versions of "Jesus Walks" and "Hey Mama", and Kweli recalls being pretty impressed: "I’ve never heard nothing so beautiful in my life.”